Conventionally, a substrate conveying robot with an end effector is used in order to convey a substrate (plate member) such as a wafer for producing semiconductors or a glass substrate for producing liquid crystal panels.
In the substrate conveying robot, a conveying position of the substrate is taught via a teaching device connected to a robot controller, and the robot operates repeatedly between the taught conveying positions so as to convey the substrates. For example, a wafer is taken out from a substrate storing portion (FOUP, for example) in which a plurality of wafers are stored, and the wafer is conveyed to another substrate storing portion (FOUP, for example) or a wafer treating device side.
The end effector for holding a plurality of substrates and conveying the same simultaneously is proposed (PTLs 1 to 3) in order to enhance the substrate conveying efficiency from a conveying source to a conveying destination. This type of end effector has a hand of batch conveying type having a hand base portion which at least partly advances below a plurality of substrates to be held, and a substrate holding means capable of holding a plurality of substrates.